Mainland China will hold a military parade in Beijing on the 3rd to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance, while Taiwan President Lai Ching-te emphasized in a speech at the Armed Forces Day event on the 2nd, 'Unity guarantees victory, aggression guarantees defeat.'
According to the website of the Presidential Office of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te attended and delivered remarks at the Armed Forces Day and National Defense Education Day Commendation Ceremony the same morning.
He said that Tuesday is Navy Day, and 67 years ago, during the September 2nd Naval Battle, officers and soldiers of the Taiwanese navy fought against the odds and frustrated the Mainland Chinese military’s attempt to blockade Kinmen Island, successfully carrying out a supply mission and achieving a strategic victory, which laid a solid foundation for the victory in the August 23rd Artillery Battle. The September 2nd Naval Battle, as well as the subsequent victory in the August 23rd Artillery Battle, further proves that true peace comes from the determination and strong capability to unite and resist aggression.
Lai Ching-te pointed out that the current security environment is more severe than ever. In recent years, Mainland China has continued to conduct high-intensity activities around the Taiwan Strait with military planes and ships, and has even engaged in gray-zone harassment and cognitive warfare in an attempt to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and undermine the confidence of the Taiwanese people. This is not only a threat to Taiwan’s democracy and freedom, but also a challenge to the entire democratic world.
He mentioned that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. From the victory in WWII to the brilliance of the September 2nd Naval Battle and the August 23rd Artillery Battle, the most valuable lesson is that 'Unity guarantees victory, aggression guarantees defeat.'
Lai Ching-te emphasized that peace is priceless and there are no winners in war, but the peace Taiwan wants is true peace achieved through strength. Only by strengthening our national defense capabilities and ensuring unity among the people can we truly safeguard Taiwan’s sovereignty, democracy, freedom, and human rights.